The device is in particular an automated teller machine by means of which banknotes are dispensed to a user and/or banknotes can be deposited in the automated teller machine by the user. For this purpose several graphic user interfaces are displayed via a display unit to the user, by means of which the user can control the device. In particular via such graphic user interfaces the user can be requested to carry out the individual steps that are necessary for depositing and/or dispensing the banknotes.
The problem with known automated teller machines is that these comprise stationary display units with a preset fixed height. Thus, it can be the case that users who are extraordinarily tall or extraordinarily small may have difficulties reading the display unit. Moreover, automated teller machines are known that can be operated from a vehicle. As vehicles as well can have different seat heights there is also the problem that the position of the user relative to the display unit is different depending on the vehicle and thus in this case also problems can occur with regard to reading the display unit.
In order to solve this problem it is possible to provide display units that are height adjustable mechanically and/or that are pivoted about an axis of rotation, so that the direction of the display surface is adjustable relative to the user. Such devices are for example known from documents U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,296,079 B1, 6,812,917 B2, 7,644,039 B1 and US 2010/0126805. The problem with such mechanically adjustable display units is that they are quite failure-prone and they require a cost-intensive installation.
It is the object of the invention to specify a device for handling banknotes which can be operated easily by persons in different heights.
According to the invention the graphic user interface is only shown in a portion of the display surface with this portion being adjustable depending on the position of the user relative to the display surface. Thus, it is achieved that the height in which the user interface is displayed can be adjusted to the height of the user without requiring to mechanically adjust the display unit itself.
As a position of the user in particular a height of the head of the user is determined, and depending on this determined height of the user the height of the user interface is adjusted by means of selecting the respective portion of the display surface that is displayed via the user interface.
The device for handling banknotes is in particular an automated teller machine. The user can operate the device when standing in front of the device or when sitting in a vehicle.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the device comprises a sensor unit for determining the position of the user. A control unit of the device determines in dependence of the position determined via the sensor unit the portion in which the display unit displays the user interface. The sensor unit is particularly designed such that by means of it the body height and/or the height of the user and/or the height of a vehicle in which the user is sitting and/or the height of the head of the user can be determined. In the control unit in particular a correlation rule is stored, that assigns a portion to each respective determined body height or height, in which the user interface is to be displayed. The control unit controls the display unit such that it displays the user interface in this area determined by means of the correlation rule.
Additionally or alternatively the device can be provided with at least one operating unit by means of which the user can adjust the portion in which the user interface is displayed. In case such an operating unit is provided additionally to the sensor unit the user can adjust the portion if it does not suit the individual requirements. In particular, by means of such an operating unit the user can adjust at any time the optimal display height.
Furthermore, the device can comprise a card reading unit for reading a magnetic stripe card and/or a chip card, wherein on the magnetic stripe card and/or on the chip card data are stored with information on a preset preferred portion for displaying the user interface, which can be read out by means of the card reading unit. The control unit controls the device in dependence of these data such that the user interface is displayed in the preset portion. Alternatively, instead of a preset portion the body height of the user who owns the magnetic stripe card or the chip card can also be stored on the magnetic stripe card or on the chip card, whereas in this case the control unit determines the portion in dependence of the stored height. Moreover, a data base can be stored in the control unit in which the magnetic stripe card and/or the chip card and/or the user is assigned to the preferred section.
The display unit comprises in particular a touch screen, so that the display unit serves at the same time as an input unit, and the user can control the device in a simple way intuitively by means of touching the selection menu displayed via the graphic user interface. Alternatively, the display unit can be a monitor by means of which no input is possible.
Further, it is advantageous when at least two positions for the portion by means of which the user interface is displayed are preset, and when in dependence of the position of the user one of these preset positions is selected for displaying the user interface. In an especially preferred embodiment of the invention three positions for the portion are preset. In an alternative embodiment of the invention the portion can be moved continuously, particularly line by line, within the display surface.
In an especially preferred embodiment of the invention the display surface is rectangular and thus has a first side with a first side length and a second side with a second side length. The user interface is rectangular as well and has a third side with a third side length and a fourth side with a third side length and a fourth side with a fourth side length, with the first side and the third side being parallel to each other. Preferably the first side length and the third side length are equal, and the second side length is larger than the fourth side length. Thus, it is achieved that the user interface is displayed over the entire width of the display unit, but only a part of the height of the display surface is used. In particular, the user interface has the format 16:9.
The first side is arranged horizontally in an operating arrangement of the device, so that the first side length indicates the width of the display unit and the second side length indicates the height of the display unit. The operating arrangement is the arrangement in which the device is arranged when it is installed for regular operation.
Preferably, the second side length is an integral multiple, especially three times the fourth side length. Thus, several positions can be preset for the user interface without the respective sections overlapping.
In particular, several portions of the display surface for displaying the user interface are preset, wherein the number of the present portions corresponds to the relation of the second side length to the fourth side length, and wherein the sections are preset without overlapping.
Further, it is advantageous if along the second side of the display surface and/or along a fifth side of the display surface opposite to the second side a multitude of keys is arranged for selecting control information displayed by means of the user interface. In particular, by means of these keys the desired cash sum can be selected. A control unit of the device activates in dependence of the portion in which the user interface is displayed a subset of the keys arranged adjacent to this portion and/or deactivates the remaining keys. Thus, in each case only the keys that are arranged next to the user interface are usable for the input of information. Furthermore, by providing such a multitude of keys it is possible to select the control information displayed via the user interface, independent of the portion in which the user interface is displayed.
The sensor comprises in particular a camera for taking at least one picture of an image of the detecting area. The control unit controls a stored image processing program by means of which the control unit detects the position of the user. In particular, by means of the control unit an image of the head of the user in the image is detected. For this case in particular a known face recognition method can be used. In an alternative embodiment of the invention by means of the camera several pictures can be taken in a time-delayed manner and these pictures can be taken into consideration for detecting the position. Further, several cameras can be provided, in particular two cameras that form a stereo camera system and can be used for determining the position of the user.
The operating unit, by means of which the user can vary the display height of the user interface, that means the portion in which the user interface is displayed, comprises in particular a first and a second key, wherein the first key serves to move the portion in a first direction and the second key serves to move the portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Thus, the height in which the user interface is displayed can be controlled by the user intuitively in a simple manner, without requiring any knowledge of the operation of the device.
Further features and advantages of the invention result from the following description which in connection with the enclosed Figures explains the invention in more detail with reference to embodiments.